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Mar 30, 2015

Have you ever seen a new product advertised on TV and the infomercial made you want to order it right away? That's how I feel often, but I am also very skeptical. Some things seem a little too good to be true, and I have had my share of "As seen on TV" purchases that sit beneath a pile of unused gadgets and other foolishness. I have had my eye on the KISS Instawave Automatic Curler for some time and my husband would look at me like I was crazy. He knows my dilemma with finding styling tools to curl my hair and he wasn't convinced it would work for me. You see, I have very silky hair. It's so silky that it slides out of curling irons and often times will either not curl, or curls fall out pretty quickly.

I received the KISS Instawave automatic curler to test out for myself **HAPPY DANCE** I finally get to see if this styling tool will actually work on my hair. I tried it on freshly washed/dried hair and it was a bit of a challenge. It was sliding too much and I needed some practice to master how to really use the thing. Honestly, it's super simple to use. I think it comes down to remembering which direction you need your hair curled and also I find that second day-old hair curls much better.

I gave it a whirl (pun intended) and I absolutely loved how gorgeous my curls came out! I had some sections slide a little bit, but it did not really mess the curls up too badly. The kicker for me is that my curls actually last! I do not have to re-curl the next day and I love how shiny my hair looks as well. Also, I do not use any product to curl with. My husband saw me and was very impressed with how beautiful my curls were. The photo just doesn't show enough detail on how nicely defined the curls were.

It’s quick and easy to get salon-quality curls with the revolutionary new Instawave by KISS. Just push the button to style any type of hair effortlessly.

Instawave Features:

Fully automatic, tangle-free curler

Innovative design lets you curl from any position using either hand

Curl Dial makes it simple to switch between left and right curl directions

Ceramic Ionic Technology protects hair for healthy, shiny results

Two heat settings with maximum temperature of 420° F

Auto shutoff after 90 minutes for added safety

Patent Pending

SRP: $59.99

You can purchase the Instawave at KISSInstaWave.com or at retailers including: Target, Ulta.com and Amazon.com. It's a fabulous styling tool and I highly recommend it if you are currently looking for something great to curl your hair. It is now my most favorite beauty must-have!

I received a complimentary item for review purposes and all opinions are 100% my own as always.

Mar 29, 2015

I am absolutely filled with emotion these days with all of the upcoming events leading up to my senior daughter's big day; Graduation. Of course the months before she does graduate are packed with back-to-back events. One of the biggest and most memorable will be her Senior Prom. We already ordered her dress and have started looking around for the perfect shoes and accessories. Since our budget is limited to allow her to partake in additional senior events, we are going the DIY route for certain things. I will be doing her make-up and hair as well as her nails. Of course on prom day, the hours seem to feel like minutes and time goes by way too quickly. One shortcut we will take is by using KISS Salon Acrylic French Nails for the perfect 'manicure' in minutes. No worries about nail polish drying or trying to get into the nail salon on what will be one of the busiest days of the year.

KISS makes life so much easier and you get the exact look you want with minimal effort or skill level. And for the price of only $7.99, it is a very smart choice! These French nails come on 6 varieties: Halo Effect, Sugar Rush, Alter Ego, Dry Spell, Simple Life and Pet Peeve. The lengths are either short or medium and the thickness of the white part varies.

Details:Acrylic-infused nails deliver a flawless French manicure that costs less than a salon.Acrylic-infused technology delivers a flawless French manicure that’s 10X stronger than other brands. The easy-to-apply nails go on with a seamless cuticle line so they look natural, and have a perfect French smile line that’s consistent on every nail!
Brie has tried these nails in the past and loved them. They really do look like you went to the salon and spent a lot. The best part is you don't have to be worried about chipping your polish or breaking a nail. These are the perfect solution to having beautiful nails for prom. As a mom, I'm very pleased with the price!

KISS Nails are available at Walgreens, CVS, Walmart, Rite Aid, Kmart and other retailers. See all of the products available at KISSusa and follow them on Facebook and Twitter to learn about the latest products.

I received products samples in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own as always.

Mar 26, 2015

Spring is here and this is the time when I treat myself to a couple new items for my make-up bag. I am a minimalist for the most part when it comes to daytime make-up. I don’t believe in looking too “made up” unless I’m stepping out for the evening or going somewhere others will see me. Susan Posnick cosmetics seem to really fit the look I am aiming for; clean and polished. I have been using the Colorflo mineral foundation and blush, as well as the ColorCoated mascara and ColorEssentials Lipstick. I am currently into nude lip color and Susan Posnick’s ColorEssential Lipstick in Dubai (SRP $21) has become my go-to favorite. I wear it over my lip balm and find that it never dries my lips out the way some other premium brands can. It has a light sheen with a creamy finish.

The ColorCoated mascara (SRP $24) gives my eyelashes enough fullness for a brighter bolder look, while keeping them looking natural and soft. This is very important to me since I don’t care for that false lashes look in the daytime hours when I’m in Mom-mode. I love how easy it is to remove at night and leaves little to no residue behind. I have not experienced any flaking, so this product would be great for contact lens wearers.

You can order Susan Posnick Cosmetics online and be sure to follow on Facebook and Twitter for product promotions and updates.

I received product samples for review purposes. All opinions are my own as always.

A couple nights ago, I walked into my local Marco’s Pizza to pick up my order I placed by phone. To my surprise upon opening the door to the store, about 5 people back in the kitchen greeted me at the same time saying, “Welcome to Marco’s Pizza!” They all seemed like they were having a great time baking up those delicious pizzas. I ordered the Grilled Chicken Florentine pizza that is currently back at Marco’s until 6/21/15 at participating stores. If you haven’t tried this pizza yet, you better hurry! I tried it last year for the first time and fell in love. We’re talking grilled chicken, Parmesan garlic sauce, fresh spinach, fresh red onion, fresh Roma tomato slices and their perfect blend of cheeses including my favorite, Feta on top of the most crisp, light and airy crust. Truly, pizza perfection! We just love authentic Italian pizza.

The flavors all go together so well and my whole family can’t get enough of it. This will be our Friday night take-out until they stop offering it. That makes me wonder why they would only offer something so delicious for a limited time. I would LOVE to see it available as an everyday menu item (hint, hint Marco’s!) If you order online, you can view all of the specials they have. I believe most stores offer delivery within a certain area. We are lucky to have two nearby locations so it is never a problem to go pick it up. Give the Marco’s Grilled Chicken Florentine pizza a try and let me know what you think!

Mar 25, 2015

This past weekend our family took a trip to Myrtle Beach to celebrate William's 7th birthday. We chose the Prince Resort at The Cherry Grove Pier because William loves that location. He enjoys fishing with his dad, so the Prince was the best choice for his birthday celebration. This was actually our second time staying there, so we had a good understanding of what we needed and how to make our check-in process smoother. The Prince Resort is actually made up of two separate towers; Tower 1- oceanfront and Tower 2- ocean view. We love staying directly on the beach with a full oceanfront view so we stayed in Tower 1. When you get to the actual property, they have temporary guest parking for checking in/out as well as getting your luggage loaded up to take to your suite. All parking is across the street in Tower 2. It's no big deal at all to take the few steps back across the street to have access to Tower 1, the beach, restaurants and the pier.

Checking in was a breeze, just be sure to have the credit or debit card you used to book your suite with as well as your license plate number for the parking pass. It was nice to receive a courtesy call from the front desk to ensure that we had a pleasant check-in experience and to see if our accommodations were to our liking. Very professional!

We stayed in a 1,075 square foot 2 bedroom/2 bathroom oceanfront suite. It was very spacious and included one King bed, two extra long double beds, full kitchen and a Queen sleeper sofa in the living room. Additional amenities included a private balcony, dishwasher, washer and dryer and three televisions. We loved the overall layout and it really felt like home. The one thing that really was the star of the show was that 6th floor view of the ocean and Cherry Grove Pier. It is incredible! It's so nice to be just steps away from that glorious ocean and sand.

Check out the photos below to get more information and my personal tips to make your stay even better.

The living and dining rooms are very comfy and have plenty of space for your family to eat, lounge or just take in the scenery. It's not unusual to see flocks of seagulls or pelicans a mere 15 feet away flying past your balcony. The couch has a pull-out bed and this was perfect for my little guy. He loves "camping" out in the family room.

The master bedroom was super nice. The bed was very comfy and the bathroom was huge! We love keeping the blinds open to be able to watch the waves crash ashore. The bathroom had a big tub and relaxing waterfall style shower head. They kept it fully stocked with towels and toiletries. Just remember that if you go in the warmer months, bring your beach towels. The second bedroom was very spacious for the girls to share and the bathroom was surprisingly huge!

The homemaking nerd in me loved the full kitchen and washer/dryer unit. I had all of the basic tools I would have in my own kitchen at my finger tips! I recommend packing up food and drinks especially if you have a big family. They provide coffee, but I prefer my brand I use regularly. I am one of those crazy moms who packs the things most people would never think of-- coffee creamer, sticks of butter, condiments, dish scrubbers, kitchen cleaning gloves and laundry pacs. I figured that if I bring everything I need, we won't have a reason to leave the property. It's great to be able to cook up a family style meal while overlooking the beach.

The weather was in the mid 50's so it was too cold for us to get in the water or the pools. That was fine since the highlight of the trip for William was the pier. My husband rented a fishing pole and purchased bait. Although they did not catch a thing after fishing ALL day long, they were able to make fun father and son memories. They have already planned their return trip for when it warms up and they will bring their own fishing poles. It costs $2 per person to get a walking pass for the pier that is good for the entire day. That's a great deal! In the summer, we were able to see dolphins playing in the water as well as nurse sharks on the side of the pier where the fish cleaning station is set up. The kids love watching the sharks feed on the discarded fish parts left over from cleaning them.

You can enjoy Oceanfront dining at 3500 Ocean Grill or the more relaxed Boardwalk Beach Cafe and Ice Cream Shoppes. We love ordering shareable menu items from the Boardwalk Beach Cafe to bring back to our suite to enjoy. While we wait for our food to be prepped and cooked, we enjoy a beer or cocktail at the bar. It's nice chatting with other guests to find out where they are visiting from and how they are enjoying Myrtle Beach. One thing that can't be beat in the state of South Carolina is that true Southern hospitality!

You can visit the Prince Resort website to see details of all of their accommodations and book your trip with a few simple keystrokes. You can even call to book a reservation. Their staff is always very courteous and happy to answer your questions. If your budget is tight, consider going in the off season when the rates are extremely reasonable and you don't have to stay the minimum of three days like you do in the summer months. It's really very nice and super relaxing. Also consider getting an ocean view suite. You will still have great ocean views and easy access to the beach, pier and restaurants. The last time we stayed at the Prince we were on the 19th floor in a 3 bedroom suite. I think I actually preferred the 2 bedroom and the lower level being on the 6th floor.

If you ever want to visit Myrtle Beach you should definitely give the Prince Resort a try. Be sure to check them out on the web, Facebook and Twitter. Sign up for their emails so you can see what offers and promotions they are running. We loved our stay and look forward to going back at the end of the summer. This specific area of Myrtle Beach seems a lot less 'touristy' than some other parts we have visited. It's perfect for a romantic couples getaway or even for Mother's/Father's Day. What are you waiting for? Go run and book your Myrtle Beach getaway!

Disclosure: I was given a media discount rate in exchange for an honest review of the resort. All opinions are my own as always.